Edward Higgins entered the Confederate States Army on April 12, 1861, as a captain in the 1st Louisiana Artillery Regiment.[2] On June 12, 1861, he became aide-de-camp to Major General David E. Twiggs.[2] Higgins supervised the construction of the defenses of Ship Island.[3] On October 29, 1861, he was appointed captain in the CSA 1st Artillery Regiment.[2] Higgins resigned from this position on January 2, 1862, and on February 13, 1862, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the 21st Louisiana Infantry Regiment.[1][4][5] Higgins was captured on April 28, 1862, while defending Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip during the Union Army's attack on and occupation of the lower Mississippi River and New Orleans, Louisiana.[1][2][3] After a brief imprisonment, Higgins was exchanged on October 16, 1862.[2][3]
Having been promoted to colonel on September 26, 1862, Higgins was assigned to command of the river batteries at Vicksburg, Mississippi.[1][2] In December 1862, Higgins fought at the Snyder's Mill defenses in operations in the Vicksburg Campaign.[3][6] Upon the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Higgins was captured again.[1][2] He was exchanged on October 13, 1863, and promoted to brigadier general on October 29, 1863.[1][2]
At the request of Major General Dabney Herndon Maury, who was in charge of the defenses of Mobile, Alabama, Higgins was assigned to command the bay and harbor defenses at Mobile.[1][2] He commanded a brigade at Mobile for most of the rest of the war.[4] For reasons not clear in the historical record, Higgins was relieved of his duties on February 18, 1865.[2] At the end of the war, he was in Macon, Georgia, awaiting orders.[1] No record of his final capture or parole has been found.